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NFL Week 2 Preview: Cincinnati Bengals At Pittsburgh Steelers — Injury Update, Fantasy Football Projections, Vegas Odds

By Dustin Murrell
Published on: 04:47 PST, Sep 13, 2016

With Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season officially a thing of the past, there’s a three-way tie for first place in the AFC North. While the Baltimore Ravens are off to a good start in their attempt to turn things around after a disappointing 5-11 record in 2015, both the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers picked up a win in their first game of the year. Week 2 features both the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns, giving the fans an early glimpse at what they can expect from the division in 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYu2jsx9zEg

NFL Week 1 Results

In one of several true nail-biters from the first week of NFL football, the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the New York Jets 23-22 with a field goal in the final minute of the game — and an interception by Cincinnati’s defense in the final seconds. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers obliterated the Redskins in Washington 38-16 on Monday night. Despite Washington leading Pittsburgh 6-0 at the end of the first quarter, the Steelers were up 14-6 at halftime and never looked back.

According to the standard fantasy football scoring provided by the NFL, neither Andy Dalton (19.64) nor Ben Roethlisberger (22.90) were Top 5 performers at the quarterback position in Week 1. Neither team had a tight end with big numbers in Week 1, and the kickers and defense from both teams failed to crack the Top 5. However, with over 160 offensive yards and two rushing touchdowns, Pittsburgh’s DeAngelo Williams (33.30) was far-and-away the best fantasy football running back for Week 1. At the wide receiver position, Cincinnati’s A.J. Green (27.20) was the second best in the league, with 180 yards and a touchdown on 12 receptions against New York.

Week 2 Injury And Suspension Updates

According to an early injury report for NFL Week 2 from CBS Sports, Cincinnati cornerback Darqueze Dennard is considered questionable for Sunday’s game due to an ankle injury. Tight end Tyler Eifert remains unavailable for action in Week 2 due to his own ankle injury. Also unavailable again in Week 2 is linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who continues to serve his three-game suspension.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, on the other hand, have more injuries to worry about. Four players are listed as questionable as of Tuesday morning, including linebacker Ryan Shazier (knee), wide receiver Markus Wheaton (shoulder), center Cody Wallace (knee) and fullback Roosevelt Nix-Jones (back). Cornerback Senquez Golson is listed as out with a foot injury, while center Valerian Ume-Ezeoke remains on the injury reserve. Running back Le’Veon Bell continues to serve his three-game suspension, and of course, wide receiver Martavis Bryant has been suspended for the entire season.

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A.J. Green returns to Pittsburgh for Week 2. [Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images]

Bengals vs. Steelers: Vegas Odds

As early as Tuesday morning, gambling lines had already been set for Week 2 of the NFL, including the Bengals/Steelers match-up. As reported by SB Nation, the Steelers are currently considered 3.5 point favorites as the home team on Sunday afternoon. The Steelers have won the last two match-ups with their division rivals, including the debacle that was Cincinnati’s loss to Pittsburgh in the first round of the NFL Playoffs last year. The last time the Bengals defeated the Steelers was in Pittsburgh last November.

Bengals vs. Steelers: Fantasy Football Projections

Neither starting quarterback is expected to have an outstanding performance in Week 2, with projections putting Roethlisberger at just 15.94 points and Dalton at 11.72. DeAngelo Williams is the third highest projected running back for Week 2 at 20.00 points, while neither Jeremy Hill (5.80) nor Giovani Bernard (5.70) are expected to break the Top 30 at their position. At wide receiver, Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown is expected to lead the league with 16.10 points, while A.J. Green is placed at sixth with 13.40 projected points. With Tyler Eifert still out for the Bengals until Week 4 or later, no tight ends from this game are expected to make a huge impact. Assuming similar performances to Week 1, neither team has a kicker or a defense that is expected to make much noise in the fantasy football world for Week 2.

Where To Watch Cincinnati At Pittsburgh

The NFL Week 2 match-up between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers will air live from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The game will be televised on CBS and NFL RedZone with coverage beginning at 1:00 p.m. EST. For fans on the road, the game can also be heard on Westwood One Sports. Tickets are still available to purchase for fans who want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals live on Sunday, September 18.

[Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]

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Fantasy Football Ben Roethlisberger Cincinnati Bengals Pittsburgh Steelers Andy Dalton
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